Why LCB took its transport service in-house

Though known for its warehousing, a customer-focused approach has meant transport is a central part of the LCB service. An immense amount of work goes into the wines and spirits you might enjoy in a restaurant, at a bar or around a dinner table. The agricultural processes are backbreaking, followed by meticulous craft in the production. There is then a complex system of export, storage and tax to consider: as the leading privately owned British bonded warehousing company, London City Bond (LCB) knows the logistical landscape as well as any organisation. Yet little of that matters without the final step. Ensuring that a bottle safely reaches its final destination – whether that is directly having cleared customs or after a sojourn in a bonded warehouse – is vital. If the bottle arrives too late, or in poor condition, the preceding work has gone to waste. That is why LCB takes no chances by offering an in-house delivery service for its end customers. Leveraging its substantial logistics expertise, it can offer efficiency and savings to both its trade and private customers.

A well-oiled machine

LCB has the advantage of scale, with coverage across the UK thanks to its combination of strategically placed warehouses and an adaptable delivery fleet. It can thus confidently offer delivery as part of its package in the overwhelming majority of circumstances. From its 16 warehouses and transport hubs, the company has a wide coverage of the UK and, in particular, its population centres. Vehicles leaving from these locations – including LCB’s Barking headquarters, the Tilbury freeport, Cambridge, Burton-on-Trent, Leeds and Glasgow – can easily reach most customers. That is aided by a versatile delivery fleet. Overnight transport by articulated vehicles ferries products between LCB’s centres. A fleet of more than 300 smaller vehicles each day then sets off to complete the deliveries. Of course, the machinery is only part of the story. The team of owner-operator drivers are very much the face of LCB, proudly wearing the company uniform and adhering to its stringent code of conduct. Importantly, they deliver to the clients' premises and often directly to the storage location, offering a significant service improvement compared to couriers who only make it to the property boundary. In tandem with their latest handheld ePOD (electronic proof of delivery) devices, they are on hand to assist customers in the final stage of the product’s journey. These devices not only aid the driver by holding the day’s manifest, but also aid the recipient. The documentation held on it can be amended, so if there is an error or, indeed, if they have changed their mind about a product, that can be adjusted immediately. They only sign for what has actually been received, simplifying the paperwork for all concerned and potentially eliminating the need for a credit note.

Ease for customers and LCB

Running an in-house delivery service is a canny move for an organisation looking to economise its operations. LCB, however, is demonstrating that in-house transport is also a means to improving customer experience. Firstly, LCB can offer simple tariffs that adapt to each customer’s circumstances. Each delivery site has a base calculation for its services, based on order size and delivery postcode. There is also a 50% discount for cases containing six litres or less. As well as good value, LCB also prioritises ease of use. Proof of delivery information, including the signature taken for the delivery, is available on its Vision Customer Information System (VCIS). With immediate access and less need to print, VCIS is a distinctly 21st century convenience. LCB also recognises that timing is everything, both for its trade and private clients. Clear timekeeping and ease of unloading is vital. That is especially true for larger deliveries to busy destinations, such as those to supermarket regional distribution centres. For these, agreed time deliveries are made at no extra charge, while consolidated deliveries often help to make the process even more seamless and avoid nasty penalties. Particular care is also taken by LCB to deliver in the correct format, with requests such as CHEP pallets or single products per pallet attended to. Customers can also opt to receive their original cases without the need for bulky 'carrier-proof' packaging, reducing the packaging footprint and eliminating the hassle of disposing of it. For private customers, admittedly, there is less risk of a logistical bottleneck. Yet LCB has still made the effort to ensure they are well informed about their deliveries. A text message alerts them the day before a delivery is due, while a second follows on the day to confirm the time slot. Should the delivery vehicle be running more than 45 minutes behind schedule, the ePoD device will even send a third message automatically – peace of mind for the customer, and one less thing to worry about for the driver. It is thanks to thoughtful features such as these that LCB’s transport operation has gone from strength to strength. On the basis of its current performance – peak deliveries of more than 23,000 orders per week and more than 25 million cases delivered per year – it should leave no doubt that the LCB offering begins with warehousing, but certainly does not end there.